The messages

Zinnia paced her room, her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest. She stared at her phone's screen, where two messages had been left:

"I know where James is."

"Be careful. Someone is watching."

"Is this real?" she wondered aloud. "Could James really be alive?"

Her hands shook as she tried to stay calm. She typed out a response: "Who are you? What do you mean by this?"

After thirty minutes with no reply, frustration set in. She tried calling the number, but the call wouldn't go through. It seemed the phone was turned off.

"Who is this?" she muttered angrily. "Why are you doing this to me?" She nearly threw her phone across the room but stopped herself, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.

Desperate, she decided to call Lily. When Lily answered, her cheerful voice sharply contrasted with Zinnia's worry. "Hey! I thought you were having a blast with Samuel. You've barely called me lately."

Zinnia tried to keep her voice steady, though concern seeped through. "You've been traveling so much, and I hardly ever hear from you."

"I can't help it," Lily laughed. "Traveling has been amazing. There are so many new places and, yes, some handsome guys too."

Zinnia chuckled despite herself. "Shameless," she teased. "But seriously, I need your help."

"Of course," Lily said, her tone shifting to concern. "What's going on?"

Zinnia took a deep breath. "I received a message from an unknown number. It said they know where James is and warned me that someone is watching me."

Lily's voice turned serious. "What? That doesn't make any sense. We did everything we could during the search. We even put up posters and flyers everywhere."

"I know," Zinnia replied, frustration evident in her voice. "That's why I'm so confused. I thought everything was settled. Now I don't know who to trust."

"Hold on," Lily said thoughtfully. "It's possible these messages could be from someone who knows about your past and is just trying to mess with you. People can be cruel, especially when they see someone moving on."

Zinnia's heart sank. "Maybe. I hope so. Or should I really hope so?" she replied, her voice wavering.

"Listen," Lily said, trying to reassure her. "You've made a lot of progress. You're with Samuel now, and you should focus on building that relationship. Let James have his peace."

Zinnia was silent for a moment, her thoughts racing. She hadn't told Lily that Samuel, while sweet and nice in public, treated her like a stranger in private. It was a fact she kept to herself, not wanting to burden anyone with her difficulties.

"Are you sure it's not worth looking into?" Zinnia finally asked. "What if the messages are real?"

"If the messages were really from the search and rescue team," Lily said, "they would identify themselves and provide information about the situation. They wouldn't just send cryptic messages. It sounds more like a prank."

Zinnia sighed deeply, trying to absorb Lily's words. "I guess you're right. I just wish I knew what to think."

"We'll figure this out," Lily said firmly. "For now, focus on your life with Samuel. Don't let these messages pull you away from what you're building. James is part of your past, and you need to let him rest."

"Thanks, Lily," Zinnia said, feeling a bit of relief. "I needed to hear that."

After hanging up, Zinnia sat in her room, staring at the messages again. Her mind was full of questions. If the messages were a prank, it would make sense to ignore them. But if there was even a tiny chance that James might be alive, she couldn't just let it go.

She decided to take Lily's advice for now, focusing on her life with Samuel. Though their relationship wasn't perfect, she was determined to make the best of it. The thought of James still lingered, but she tried to push it to the back of her mind, reminding herself that she needed to live in the present.

Zinnia thought back to the beginning of her relationship with Samuel. After their blind date, he had called her, sounding surprisingly warm.

"I know this wasn't how either of us planned our lives," Samuel had said, "but I promise I'll do my best to make this work, Zinnia. My parents had an arranged marriage, and they turned out happy. Maybe we can too."

Zinnia had felt a glimmer of hope. Samuel, despite his intimidating aura at work and around others, was different with her. He smiled at her with a gentleness that reminded her of James. He started picking her up from her studio every day, driving her home and making sure she was safe.

One day, he had surprised her with a plan to cook dinner. "I've been taking cooking lessons," he had announced with a sheepish grin.

"Cooking lessons?" Zinnia had laughed. "You're serious?"

"I wanted to do something special for you," Samuel had said, looking almost embarrassed.

When the day came, she found him in the kitchen, fumbling with a recipe card and nervously flipping something in a pan. "Need any help there, Chef?" Zinnia teased, leaning against the doorway.

"No, I've got this," Samuel replied, though his brow was furrowed in concentration. "I want to make you the best meal you've ever had."

Zinnia walked over and peered into the pan. "Looks like you're doing a great job," she said, though the sauce looked a bit too thick and the pasta was definitely overcooked.

Samuel caught her skeptical look and chuckled. "Okay, maybe it's not perfect, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

Zinnia smiled, her heart warming at the effort he was making. "Absolutely. And for the record, I'm already impressed."

When they finally sat down to eat, the meal was far from flawless—the sauce was lumpy and the pasta was mushy—but Zinnia didn't care. They ended up laughing over the burnt dessert, and for the first time in a long while, she felt truly happy. Samuel even made an effort to visit her parents with her, charming them with his sincerity and kindness.

"I'm glad you found someone like Samuel," her mom had said one evening after he left. "He's a good man."

Zinnia had started to believe she might finally have a chance at happiness again. Losing James had shattered her, but maybe, just maybe, Samuel was her second chance.

But then things started to change. Their marriage was postponed when Samuel's father fell ill. Suddenly, Samuel was consumed by the family business, working late nights and weekends. When he was finally elected as CEO, Zinnia thought they could pick up where they left off. Instead, Samuel became distant, almost cold.

She had no idea what had happened to the man who once smiled at her with such tenderness. All she knew was that she couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.

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Author's Note:

Thank you so much for the powerstones and comments! They made my day and inspire me to write even more. I hope you continue reading, and be ready for another twist coming in the next chapters. I'm so happy for your support!